Make (Good) Trouble’s mission is to help break down the barriers between teens and adults, to put paid to the myth that teenagers are just sullen, snowflakey beings that need to “grow up”, “pipe down” or “behave”.

A brand new book – out today – really chimes with our purpose. ‘Why Your Parents Are Driving You Up the Wall and What To Do About It’ is a brand new book written for teenagers by neuroscientist Dean Burnett. The book describes in glorious detail how the changes in the teenage brain fundamentally affect the relationship teens have with their parents. It looks into how parents’ fixed brains are befuddled by their teen’s seemingly risky, volatile, unthinking behaviour. It includes fantastic troubleshooting guides for teens to help with their parents’ inflexible demands – bringing understanding – and hopefully some sense of calm – on both sides. Want to know why your parents think “you treat this house like a hotel?” Dean Burnett explains. And yes, it’s the parents’ fault. 

“The truth is, you have always treated the house like a hotel, by assuming your parents will take care of all the housework. Because for your whole life thus far, they did!”

It’s intelligently written – which is what you’d expect from a neuroscientist! – but as it’s aimed at teens (who start at 10 years old by the way). It’s refreshingly frank, warm, honest and funny and really does relate to all the realities of the parent-teen relationship. 

The book is particularly fascinating when it comes to descriptions of the brain and how it works, giving us a real insight into the teenage brain and how it impacts on everything from sleep, social media and school to family and mental health. 

Read this book if you’re a teenager. If you know a teen, do them a favour and buy them a copy.